One To Watch - Pakenham

Mark Smith - Tuesday August 18

The optimistically named Best Ever is bred to be something a bit special and he made the perfect start to his career with a professional performance in a 1400m maiden on the Pakenham Park synthetic on Tuesday.

Royally-bred Best Ever makes a winning debut at Pakenham (Natasha Morello/Racing Photos)

Ridden by Luke Nolen for trainer Peter Moody, Best Ever rode the early speed set by Moving Day before safely holding the challenge of Queen Of Rocks (Fastnet Rock) by three-quarters of a length with the same distance back to Kumo Sun (Fighting Sun) in third.

Advertisement

Carrying the colours of his breeder John Singleton, Best Ever is a son of the 4-time Champion Sire Of Australia, Snitzel, out of Singleton’s 8-time Group 1 winner More Joyous (More Than Ready).

In a fabulous career that saw her win 21 of her 33 starts ( 8 G1, 9 GII, 1 GIII and 2 Listed) while banking over $4.5 million, More Joyous has earned the right to be courted by the best around.

Her first foal, Woman, was by the undefeated champion Frankel.

After making a winning career at Canterbury back in 2017, Woman only made three more appearances, placing at Pakenham and Sandown.

A failure at Sandown in April last year brought a premature end to her career and she visited Snitzel last spring.

More Joyous as most remember her in her heyday (Mark Smith)

The second foal of More Joyous is the Fastnet Rock gelding More Sundays who had just one win in five starts for Lindsay Park and has recently been transferred to Sam Kavanagh.

Best Ever is the third foal of More Joyous who has 2yo sister to Best Ever named Joyous Legend.

After missing to Fastnet Rock in 2018, More Joyous made her second trip to Europe where she was covered once again by Frankel.

The daughter of More Than Ready (USA) out of the Group 1 AJC Australian Oaks heroine Sunday Joy (Sunday Silence) is due to foal in late October.

Advertisment

Race Result - Magic Millions Mdn Plate 1400m

Pakenham Synthetic Track: Synthetic Time: 1:28.24
1
Best Ever
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: L Nolen 57
2
0.8
Queen Of Rocks
- 3f Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Dowager Queen (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: T Dabernig & B Hayes Rdr: W Pike 55
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $250,000
Seller: Baramul Stud, Widden Valley, NSW
Buyer: Brad Widdup Racing
3
1.6
Kumo Sun
- 4m Fighting Sun (AUS) x Web Of Love (AUS) (Show A Heart (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: Michael Poy 57.5
4
2.5
Moving Day
- 4m Turffontein (AUS) x Carlie Rose (AUS) (Keltrice (AUS))
Tnr: M Ellerton & S Zahra Rdr: Damien Thornton 57.5
5
5.2
Lord Wonder
- 4g Shocking (AUS) x Princess Wonder (AUS) (Desert Prince (IRE))
Tnr: E Jusufovic Rdr: M J Dee 59.5
6
5.5
Miss Conspicuous
- 4m Smart Missile (AUS) x She's Pretentious (AUS) (Royal Academy (USA))
Tnr: Michael Huglin Rdr: Ben Allen 57.5
7
5.9
Virginia
- 4m Equiano (FR) x Cait Colleen (AUS) (Carnegie (IRE))
Tnr: Shane Stockdale Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 57.5
8
7.2
Magic Kappy
- 4m Kaphero (AUS) x Riverina Magic (AUS) (Duke Of Marmalade (IRE))
Tnr: I R Jones Rdr: Dean Holland 57.5
9
8.7
Statue Of Dreams
- 4m Statue Of Liberty (USA) x Isle Of Dreams (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: M Croston & G Gilmour Rdr: J Bowditch 57.5
10
15.7
Rittenband
- 4g Polanski (AUS) x Baby Nation (AUS) (Archway (IRE))
Tnr: Aaron Laing Rdr: B Rawiller 59.5
More Reading...
One to Watch – Sale
Reigning Australian Horse of the Year Pride of Jenni was not the only ‘Jenni’ making a trip to the winner’s circle this weekend.
Twin Hills Weanling Draft Showcases Daumier and Peltzer
Olly and Amber Tait’s Twin Hills Stud at Cootamundra is home to a couple of young fledgling sires in G1 Blue Diamond winner Daumier and Peltzer, who recently had his first winner and their draft for the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale starting on Monday has a good representation for both young stallions.
Raining Black Type at Geisel Park
Geisel Park and its Group 1 racehorse and sire Manhattan Rain are poised to launch another winning wave in Group company at home and on the road with their fillies and mares in May.
FBAA Mentorship Program - Successful Applicants Announced
The FBAA is excited to announce the selection of two mentees to participate in the second annual FBAA Mentorship Program commencing 19th May 2025.
Kentucky Derby Triumph for Godolphin
Sheikh Mohammed’s revered Godolphin racing and breeding operation have won Derbies all over the world, but until today the Kentucky Derby had proven elusive, but a three year-old colt called Sovereignty changed all that at Churchill Downs before a crowd in excess of 150,000.
2.3million Justify Colt Wins G1 Newmarket 2000 Guineas for Godolphin
The weekend started well for Godolphin when their unbeaten filly Good Cheer won the Group I Kentucky Oaks on Friday and it got even better on Saturday when record priced  €2.3million Justify colt Ruling Court landed the Group I Newmarket 2000 Guineas in the UK.
Sires With Winners - Saturday May 3
Here is the full list of 113 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
I Am Invincible Sprinter wins $1million Archer - Inglis Graduates Trifecta
A weekend that dreams are made of for Neil Jenkinson was today capped off with Easter yearling Lubrication (I Am Invincible) winning the $1m The Archer at Rockhampton.
Newgate to Offer Femminile at MM National
The month's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast received an incredible update when rising staying star Femminile won the Group One SA Derby (2500m) at Morphettville yesterday.
Inglis Australian Weanlings - Unraced Trial Report
With the Inglis Australian Weanling sale kicking off on Monday don’t forget to check the unraced trialler report for a bit more intel on what might be coming.